Connectors



iffy/r 7 CONNECTORS 7 INVENTOR STEPHEN lows/Q4555 BY wh/zm A'ITO R N EY gm NM s. L. KLASSEN v I mm Wm Filed Oct. 21, 1955 lvllll/llll III/III II wwxzxzzzz,

July 28, 1959 wRRRR 2,97,470 Patented July 28, 1959 CONNECTORS Stephen Louis Klassen, Fair Lawn, N.J., assignor to Therrno Electric (10., IIKL, a corporation of New Jersey Application Gctober 21, 1955, Serial No. 541,888

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-89) My invention relates to connectors and more particularly to multi-lead connectors.

It is well known that where temperature dilferences occur across connections in thermocouple leads, only connectors having matched thermocouple materials will eliminate errors occasioned by unmatched materials. Furthermore, where accurate temperature readings are required, it is generally recognized that, within the temperature range to which the connectors are subjected, the temperature EMF characteristics of the materials used to complete the circuit must match those of the thermocouple, one exemplification of a connector having such matched materials being disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,707,273.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a multi-lead connector for employment in thermocouple leads and which is constructed with contact members designated for and capable of quick assembly and disassembly for circuit making and breaking.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, efficient in operation, economical in manufacture and capable of use in connection with high temperature turbo-jet aircraft engine thermocouples and harnesses.

A further object of my invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing described character which is relatively small and compact, light in weight, and equipped with contact members of matched thermocouple materials.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing described character wherein various contact members are self-cleaning upon assembly and possessed of a relatively low degree of contact resistance at elevated temperatures.

An important object of my invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing described character having detachable aligned components having laterally disposed lead means connected thereto.

Will the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a plan view of a connector constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 and on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View, partly in elevation, taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

In practicing my invention, as illustrated in the drawing, I provide a connector having end and intermediate components or sections 5 and 6, respectively, with the end sections 5 being of a substantially identical construction. The intermediate section 6 comprises a housing provided with end and body portions 7 and 8, respectively, with the end portions 7 being of hollow cylindriform constructions. The sections 5 are each provided with an outer cylindrical shell 9 fixed on and constituting a component of a housing 10, said shell having an outer circumferential rib 11 which engages a shoulder formed on one end of a collar 12 rotatably mounted on the shell. The other end of the collar 12 is threaded, as at 13, onto an end portion 7 of the section 6, the collar 12 of the other section 5 being similarly connected to the other portion 7 of the section 6 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

The body portion 8 has encased and fixed therein a contact unit having a pair of oppositely disposed flat side faces 14, a pair of spaced and oppositely disposed arouate plate-like liners 15 which embrace a core 16 of hard-fired ceramic insulating material M through which extends a pair of spaced contact members 17 and 18, respectively, insulated from each other by the material M. tact members 17 and 18 extend outwardly from the ends of the core 16 to provide pairs of insulated somewhat plano-conical contact pins 19 and 20, respectively, and which pins coact with each other and the material M therebetween to define a somewhat conicocylindrical,

projection or finger 21 at each end of the core 16. The

inner faces of the liners l5 and the outer faces of the One side of the body portion 8 of the section 6 is formed with an opening 22 for accommodating therethrough a pair of branch leads 23 and 24, respectively, the latter being armoured by encasement within a casing 25 of stainless steel or the like. Insulating'ceramic material M is disposed within the casing and functions to insulate the leads 23 and 24 from the casing 25 and each other, whereby, an auxiliary section is provided to connect the branch leads to the members 17 and 18. The leads 23 and 24 are attached to contact members or prongs 26 and 27 extending from the casing and disposed within sockets 28 and 29 extending through the material 16 and contact members 17 and 18, respectively, whereby to effect electrical connection of the leads 23 and 24 and the members 17 and 18. When desired, the leads may be disconnected from the contact members 17 and 18 upon withdrawal of the prongs from the sockets to thus break the circuit therebetween, a suitable plug (not shown) being inserted within the opening to preclude entrance of foreign matter into the sockets when the leads are thus disconnected.

When assembled, the shells 9 of the sections 5 extend towards the section 6 an appreciable distance beyond the confronting end faces of the housings 10 and terminate in inwardly disposed flanges or lips 31 which coact with said end faces to define seats in which are snugged contact units. Each contact unit comprises a pair of spaced and oppositely disposed arcuate liners 32 fixed within said seats and which embrace a core 33 of the hard-fired ceramic insulating material M through which extends a pair of contact members 34 and 35, respectively. As in the instance of section 6, the liners 32 and the contact members 34 and 35 are provided with grooves for receiving the material M to maintain the contact members 34 and 35 in fixed relation within the respective housings 10. The contact members 34 and 35- of each section are spaced and insulated from each other by the 37 extend through a casing 38 extending and terminal openings in which are received and connected the ends of leads 36 and 37, respectively. The leads 36 and Within the confines of the end portions 7, the con-.

31 extend through. the. casing 38. extending and terminating within the outer end of the housing, the casing 38 being provided with the material M for insulating the leads from each: other and the casing The members, 314 and 35 are formed: at their. opposite ends; with transversely curved hOOClS139 and 40, respectively, spaced" and insulated. from each other and are of a configuration to define a socket 41 in. which is received the adjacent pinsv 1 9 and 20, the outer end faces of the hoods 39 and 40 being chamfered to provide bevels 42 for engagement Withthe arcuate faces of said pins.

It is tobe noted that while other suitable material may he-employed, the portions 7 and-8,.shells9,rhousings 10, collars 12, and. casings 25 and 38 are preferably constructed of stainless steel. In the instanceof the leads and contact members, those of positive polarity, for instance, heads 23- and 36, and contact members 17;. 26 and 34 may be constructed of Chromel, while those" of negative polarity may be constructed of Alumelthus providing the respective sides of acirciut with leads and connections of matched thermocouple materials.

In connecting the sections 5 and: 6-: of my novel form of connector together, the shells 9, carriedby the housin-gs 10', are disposed Withinthe ends of the portions 7' oh the sections 6 and the collars 12. threadedr upon the end portions 7 to. draw the sections 5 and 6' together and at the same time move the. fingers 21: within the sockets 41 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, it being noted that the bases of the fingers Zlzare of: a greater diameter than the mouths) of the sockets 41', whereby,

the pins 19 and 20 are wedged in engagementwith the bevels 42 within the confines of the hoods 39 and. 40 to constitute a wedge-lock therebetween to preclude displacement or shaking. loose of the. pins from engagement with the hoods, for instance, by high frequency vibration. When desired; theplug may be removed from. the opening 22 and the: prongs 26 and 27 inserted within the openings 28 and 29 toconnect the leads23 and 24.

in. circuit with the leads 36: and 37:, respectively.

Of importance, is that my connector is so constructed and arranged; as to permit the use of high temperature ceramic insulating material in. connection with connectors utilizing. thermocouple materials and subjected to high temperatures, for instance, 1,000? more or less. In-

asmuch as the bases of the fingers 21 are of a greater, diameter than the mouths of the sockets 41, the bevels 42,

4; fully explain the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined solely to the use herein disclosed in connection therewith as it may be utilized for any purpose to whch it is adaptable. It is therefore. to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific construction as illustrated and described, as the samev is only illustrative of the principles involved which are capable of extended application in various forms, and theinvention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A connector having end and middle separable sections, each of said sections comprising ahousing. and contact unit insulated insaid housing, the contact limit of the middle section being a double ended member split to form two-spaced contact elements with insulation therebetween, the endsof said contact unit tapering outwardly to form conical projections, each of said contact elements havingtransverse openings communicating with an enlarged opening in a side of the middle housing,

said openings receiving the prongs of insulated leads, the

contact unit of each end section being a tubular member split to-form two spaced contact elements with insulation therebetween extending from the outer end of the tubular member inwardly to a point intermediate bothends thereof, the inner end of said tubular member defining a socket having a beveled'surface at the inner end i of the latter to provide a ring-like contact surface effecting acleaning or wiping'action for one of said conical projections entering part way into said socket, insulated leads extending into the housings ofsaid end sections and electricallyconnected in alignment with the contact elements therein, respectively, the contact elements aiid leads of said middle section being aligned with andelectrically connected with the contact elements and leadsof said end sections in apair of spaced and insulated lines, means to draw said sections into assembled relation, the electrically connected contact members and leads of each line being of the same material, the material of one line being diti'erentfrom that of the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent STATES PATENTS 886,811 Jacob et al. May 5, 1908 1,645,240 Ile Oct. 11, 1927 2,422,982 Quacken-bush June 24, 1947 2,707,273 Klassen Apr. 26, 1955 2,749;526 Petersen June 5, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,651 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1912 1,038,560v France May 13, 1953 

